DNF @33%

A great book that unfortunately was not for me. I read Kosoko Jackson's debut, enjoyed it, and wanted to continue to support the author even though the synopsis for this one was not in my reading preferences. Unfortunately, this book was just not at all geared to my preferences as a reader.

To be honest, I’m not even sure where to start this review. I loved this book endlessly and it’s been about ten minutes since I finished it, so I’m getting this out while my emotions are still so fresh. I got so excited when I saw the premise for this book and started it pretty much as soon as I got it, not thinking of much else outside of it because I was just so invested in Andre’s story. The book got interesting immediately and there were no moments at all that I felt it fell flat, which can happen with some books that try to tell a story like this from the very start.

As a really big sci-fi and fantasy fan, it was so interesting to see how Kosoko Jackson wrote time travelling, and the way he wrote it to be genetic but also able to be passed on through other ways. It was just a fun twist that I rarely see done in media that covers time travel and I loved it. The lore behind the time travelling in this book was encompassing and if it became majorly accepted lore, I wouldn’t even be mad about it.

Okay, is it even a Max review if I don’t start talking about the characters for a full paragraph? First of all, I love Andre. He’s so interesting and real and passionate, I read this book like ‘Well, if I don’t get an Andre in my life soon.’ and that’s such a good feeling to get while reading, to like it so much you wish the characters could be real and in your life. And now the romance fan in me is going to touch on the love interests.

The journey we got to witness for Michael every time Andre saw him was just devastating but so important to me. The fact that his life wasn’t glossed over and always perfect, and that when Andre was gone he didn’t just forget him and instead had to find his ways to cope made me so happy. I really loved reading those scenes and seeing how he developed. Blake’s grief and how he handled it is what made him feel so real to me. He was flawed, but not so flawed it was hard to watch what happened and be truly happy as it unfolded. I didn’t love him from the very start but as his story progressed and I saw more of him, how could I not love him by the end?

The side characters also hit home for me, with Blake not having a perfect relationship with his parents and Andre having a well rounded best friend and parents who just didn’t quite get it, it didn’t feel like anyone was there just for the sake of being there, and I adore that.

The plot progressions pace changed often between fast and slow for me, but there wasn’t a time I wasn’t completely drawn in, as I mentioned before. I was never sure what was going to happen next and what direction the story was going in, and there were so many moments that just hit me out of nowhere with the twists. Sometimes when I finish a book, there’s some things I wish were different, sometimes just one scene I wish I could change. But with Yesterday Is History, there isn’t anything I can think back on to want to play out differently. It felt like every scene, every twist, every decision was there for a specific reason and altogether it was perfectly portrayed.

This is a five-star read because it made me cry more than once and yet I was just so happy when I read the ending.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and found it quite Interesting. I enjoy books about time travel. The romance between Dre and michael was very well done- the romance with Blake felt a bit forced. I feel like isobel is a character that can be written out completely as she didn’t add anything to the plot itself. But the end did bring a tear to my eye, and overall this was a good read. :
3.5 stars. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

A few months after receiving a liver transplant, Andre Cobb discovers that he now has the ability to travel through time. He finds himself in 1969, where he meets Michael, a boy around his age who shows him the importance of following his passions and that he doesn't have to do what everyone expects him to do. Back in the present, he is contacted by the McIntyres, the family of his donor. They explain that time traveling is a genetic gift, and enlist their second son, Blake, to help Andre learn more about his new ability. Traveling between past and present and torn between the two boys, Andre has to reckon with finding his place in the world and figuring who he wants to be. When the consequences of time travel begin to catch up with him, he's forced to make a major decision.

Yesterday Is History is a short, but fast-paced and riveting read! As soon as I started, I was hooked and could not put the book down until I found out how the story would unfold. Andre was a strong protagonist and easy to empathize with, and his struggle with figuring out his future goals was easy to relate to. Both love interests were multidimensional and likable, which made it all the more difficult for me as a reader to root for one over the other. While the love triangle was enjoyable, I liked that the novel explored Andre's self-discovery rather than only the romance.

I would've loved the book even more if it were longer and had more world/character/relationship-building. I wish Isobel had been a more prominent character in the book given that the strength of their friendship was mentioned often. At times, the book did feel rushed, and I would have loved more time to get invested in the relationships and get to know the characters even more. However, it was executed beautifully given the length.

On Goodreads, Kosoko Jackson wrote: "YESTERDAY IS HISTORY was written because I wanted to write a book where a black boy is seen as a love interest. I wanted to explore things not often seen by black and queer authors - love triangles, adventures, coming of age stories that don't feature black pain." I think that the novel is a wonderful success in those regards. Beyond just being a fascinating, time-traveling romance, Yesterday Is History explores coming of age and loss with emotional authenticity and depth, while also being hopeful and uplifting. I'm very much looking foward to reading more of his work in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEFire Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5*

I was not able to put this book down, and it broke me out of my month long reading slump. It was fast paced, and character driven, which made it an enthralling read. I loved Andre as a main character, he was interesting and realistic. I've never really been interested in time travel plots, but this book made it really work for me. Also, the past few years there's been a lot of Sick Kid YA books, and I enjoyed that this one focused on a character after remission and getting back to their life outside of being sick.

It did have its flaws though. It does feature a love triangle, which is one of my biggest book pet peeves. And while I adored the plot, both of the romances have 0 chemistry. I wish there was no romance at all, or if it only focused on one romance and developed that one more. Also, I wish it spent more time developing the friendship with Blake. This book time skipped so one chapter they hated each other, and then suddenly were buds and going on a date. There was a lot of things I wish this book went into more, such as Andres struggle with his future career, his relationship with Michael, his past cancer diagnoses, and so much more. This book would have been much better with 100 more pages and cutting out one of the romance plots, so it could spend more time on development.

I never would have guessed that an organ transplant time-travel romance would be as unputdownable as this book, but what a ride!

The book yesterday is history by kosoko jackson, Was a short but enjoyable read. The book had a interesting plot but what made the book good was that each of the characters where unique and different. The story felt a bit rushed but overall I found it a fantastic read. The book was not to deep, or to shallow which makes it a perfect book for reading on a holiday or on the way to work or school.

Yesterday is History takes place shortly after Andre Cobb receives a much needed liver transplant. As 46th on the waitlist, it’s a surprise to Andre that he’s the one receiving the transplant, and not someone higher up. But the transplant turns out to be a perfect match, and not much thought is given to the transplant. After all, Andre’s just excited for his life to begin, and to go back to his ten-year plan of becoming an oncologist. The same ten-year plan that he and his parents have been working on ever since he was little. Everything seems normal, until a few months later, when Andre passes out, and wakes up outside of his house.

Except it isn’t just quite his house. It’s 1969, and Andre has no idea how he got there. It’s there that he meets a charming and beautiful boy, Michael. Just as suddenly as Andre arrived, he gets sent back to present day Boston, where he receives a message from the family of his donor: The McIntyres. They want to meet him. It’s only then that Andre finds out about his new liver’s side effect: the ability to time travel. Luckily for him, the youngest son, Blake has been tasked with teaching Andre how to manage his new powers. Andre splits his time between the past and future, and Michael and Blake. Torn between the past and present, it’s up to Andre to figure out where he belongs, who he wants to become, and what’s next for him, before he runs out of time.

Yesterday is History is a charming, and endearing fast-paced book. I simply didn’t want to set it down. From the get go, I was immediately invested in Andre’s story, and found him to be someone that was easy to root for. I wanted to find out more about why he had the powers, how he was selected for the liver transplant, and what the consequences of time traveling were.

“You don’t owe anyone anything. Not your parents. Not society. You can take this opportunity to live life to the fullest. So I’m here to ask you: Are you going to medical school because you want to or because your parents want you to?”

It’s always scary when you realize that the ten-year plan that you’ve spent your entire life imagining about might not actually be the thing you want to do. Just like any other good coming-of-age story, Andre is faced with trying to figure out what he really wants, who he is, and what that means for him.

I found the love triangle to be really believable, and at times, couldn’t decide who I was rooting for, which is personally, my favorite kind of love triangle. Both Michael and Blake were multifaceted love-interests, and I kept flip-flopping between who I wanted Andre to end up with. I won’t spoil who he ends up with, but I’ll say that the romance progressed naturally and both relationships helped all parties grow and develop.

All too often, I feel like parents have a pretty absent role in YA novels, and I was really glad that it wasn’t the case in Yesterday is History. I found myself more interested in the family dynamic of the McIntyres than the Cobbs, but I think it made sense given the role of the McIntyres with the time traveling dynamic.

I wish that there was more to the historical aspect in Yesterday is History, but that might just be because I personally love historical fiction. I also wish that Isobel, Andre’s best friend, was used more as she felt really sidelined to me. Overall, I loved how this book dealt with loss and grief, while also reminding us of hope and happy endings.

Yesterday is History was everything that I wanted in a time-traveling book, and overall, I would give it 5 stars. I’m incredibly excited to read some of Kosoko Jackson’s other books. A major thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEFire Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for his ARC.
*4.5*
I am so happy that I picked up this book. I love all things to do with queers and time travel so I knew this book was for me. I loved the plot and the storyline. I was well thought out and really well paced. I thought the book flowed really well and made you want to keep reading. The premise of Andre meeting a boy both back in the past and in the future was really intriguing to me. I really wanted to see which one he was going to pick. It was really awesome to see a black and gay MC in a situation you don't get to see to0 often. It broadened the horizons of these types of stories.

plot: after a liver transplant, andre gets the ability to time travel. he meets michael in 1969, who he quickly falls for. in the present, he gets to know blake, whose parents help him understand his powers. at the same time, he also starts to fall for blake..

3.5🌟: let me start with the good things: a gay black mc, critisim of the american health care system and lots of thoughts on microaggressions. the writing style was easy and fun to read! but: for a novel about time traveling to the past, there's next to nothing historical about this. we get to know michael in 1969, a fact or two about the 70s and that's it. that was disappointing. the lack of female representation was as well. andre's best friend isobel almost always only pops up through text messages or in his head to remind the reader that andre himself can't come up with feminist thoughts. it's always something like "isobel always says", not what andre really thinks! the only other female characters are mothers, which doesn't help. at last, the love triangle really annoyed me. the story was very much focused on it and i didn't enjoy how close it got to cheating, which is what i'm usually afraid of when it comes to love triangles.

thanks to netgalley i received an early digital access copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I highly recommend this fun timey-wimey LGBTQIA YA Contemporary read. Author Kosoko Jackson achieves what he set out to do; share an enjoyable, lighthearted story about a queer black teenager who is a desirable love interest and has an adventure. The time-travel is straightforward and easy to follow and the characters are realistic and relatable.

You know those books that you’re reading and enjoying, and then some way through you’re hit with the realisation that it’s going to make you cry? That is Yesterday is History.

The book opens a few months after Andre’s successful liver transplant, for which he was, surprisingly and luckily, selected from far down the waitlist. When the parents of the donor get in touch with him asking to meet, he agrees, expecting them to merely want to meet him. Instead, he is thrust into a world of time travel, an ability he now has, thanks to the liver transplant.

First and foremost, I had a whole lot of fun reading this book (up until the point it made me almost cry, but I guess that was still fun of a sort). I was completely absorbed from page one and pretty much didn’t put the book down until I’d finished.

What really drove that fun, though, was the characters, namely Andre’s relationships with Blake and Michael. You want to keep reading to find out why Andre has these abilities, sure, but you also want to keep reading to see where the semi-love triangle goes (I say ‘semi’, because it’s pretty clear what the ultimate outcome is going to be). For me, it was particularly how the relationship between Blake and Andre developed, but also (perversely maybe), how the (comparative) tragedy of Michael and Andre unfolded.

This is, really, a book about loss, in amongst its hopefulness. The reason Andre gets a liver transplant, and the associated abilities, is because of another family’s loss. And while they want to help him, he and they are still having to navigate that loss. Later on, it becomes a more personal story of loss for Andre (that sounds a little ominous, but I promise it’s not). And I loved just how the book juggled telling a story of loss and grief, and telling a story of hope too.

Despite all this, there were a couple of things I was less keen on. The setup seems a little bit forced, for me, but obviously that’s a preference thing. It worked, it just didn’t work smoothly. And then there were a couple of times when I was told things I’d rather had been shown, such as Andre ignoring Isobel, skipping school, the development of his relationship with Blake from not liking each other to being friends (which wasn’t a killer, but I really would have liked to see that). None of these things completely ruined my enjoyment of the book, of course, but I was always aware that I might have liked it even more.

So, if you were at all on the fence about reading this one, let this review convince you to pick it up because I can promise you won’t regret it.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Yesterday is History in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe it's because I've read a weird amount of incredible books centered around teenage organ donation recently, but Yesterday is History fell a little short for me.

Don't get me wrong, I love the premise. A teen cancer survivor undergoes an organ transplant only to find out that his organ donor was from a family of time travelers and now he can time travel too. Oh, also its a queer love story. It's my perfect recipe of zany and I was ecstatic but I'd honestly classify Yesterday is History as Romance before historical fiction or sci-fi. We spend barely any on page time in the past and time travel is used more as a device to push our protagonist closer to both of his love interests which was fine except both relationships were pretty surface level. I just wanted more, I guess?

For what it was, this was a really fun read! But I feel like it was also supposed to be emotional and we never get to spend enough time in either relationship to get to that point.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Kosoko Jackson's YESTERDAY IS HISTORY tells the story of Andre Cobb, a cancer survivor whose new liver grants him the genetic gift of time travel. As Dre juggles his budding relationship with Michael from 1969, time travel lessons with Blake, and his schoolwork, he finds himself torn between two boys and the arc of his own future.

This book was such a joy to read! Andre is an empathetic main character whose internal life immediately had me hooked to the narrative. The time travel element was unique and artfully done, neither heavy-handed nor lackluster. The supporting cast of characters enriches and complicates the overall story. And the ending, oh, the ending breaks you down and rebuilds you all at once.

My one qualm with this book, overall, is it went by so quickly. Yes, there was certainly an element of I-couldn't-put-it-down, but beyond that it did generally feel rushed. I felt like 100 more pages of character work, of really settling into more interactions between Dre and Michael/Blake, or the McIntyre's, or even Dre's parents, would have rounded out the edges of the book beautifully.

YESTERDAY IS HISTORY is easy to fall in love with. I -- and I'm sure many, many other readers! -- look forward to what Kosoko Jackson will continue to bring to the table.

I really liked the premise of the book but it fell a little short for me. They said that the time traveling is genetic, which is fine, but then both of the parents can do it? I didn't know if they were inbred or what, because it sounded like it said that there was only one family that could do it and then it changed a couple times throughout. The main characters get angry about random things, that to me, don't make sense why they would be mad in the first place. I really enjoyed the writing and even though Andre annoyed me at times, I did like all the characters. Overall, I did still think it was a cute story just some things didn't add up to me.

This book was absolutely AMAZING. I went to start it while laying down for bed planning to read just a couple chapters and ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. Next thing I knew it was 3am and I felt broken and happy at the same time. This beautiful book captures time travel in such a new and unique way while also traveling the road of finding yourself and choosing your own paths in life. I loved every single character and found myself laughing and tearing up more than once through this book. Love love love and highly recommend to everyone!

Book review:
Yesterday Is History
by Kosoko Jackson
Pub Date: 02 Feb 2021
read courtesy of http://netgalley.com

Romantic. Not corny teenage romance from an adult's perspective, but true, selfish, selfless romance. And time travel. And the blurring of societal boundaries. And romance.

I was sorry this story ended but was so glad to have experience it. Andre and Blake and Michael were gay young men whose love triangle was complicated but real. The author didn't exaggerate or stereotype in order for the reader to understand the characters' motivations and feelings. The emotional sensitivity of their situations felt pure. The same is true for the parent:son relationships. Smart, mature young men were still allowed to argue, quarrel and rant against their parents; likewise, the parents were not made out to be clueless adults who couldn't do anything right. These were some of the most real characterizations I've encountered in a YA novel in a long time.

...Which is kind of funny considering what they went through was out-of-this-world. The time travel portion of the story was handled well in that it didn't leave me wondering, "Huh? How could that be?" In other words, there weren't any Marty McFly moments where Andre could see himself in the past. Those type of time travel scenarios always mess with my ability to concentrate on the story instead of the physics of the moment. 😏

Jackson wrote a well-crafted story with wonderful characters. I cannot wait to get this into the hands of my high school readers. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

By the second page I was completely engaged by Andre and his voice. The book is unputdownable. In addition to the fantastic characters, it deals with ideas about time travel that I hadn’t thought of before, such as “if you see something go wrong and can’t fix it, what’s the point?” Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was absolutely incredible. During Andre’s battle with hepatocellular carcinoma, he finally gets the call that his perfect liver match has been found. After he receives the transplant, strange things happen.... and Andre suddenly wakes up in 1969. Yes... his liver gave him the ability to TIME TRAVEL.

While in 1969, he meets a fabulous boy named Michael. Flash forward to 2021, and he meets another lovely boy named Blake. Who is Andre’s true love?? Can he truly form a relationship with Michael? If he chooses Blake, is he simply taking the easy way out?

I was so invested in this love triangle and I truly wanted the best for Andre. I will likely be purchasing a print copy for my collection. The writing style was also so light and made for a quick read. This would make an excellent film.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’d never heard of the author before this book, but I’d heard about the book. I thought the summary sounded original and awesome and I was not disappointed! If you love time travel stories, I’d recommend this one. It’s very unique.